Game Review: Army of Two: Devil's Cartel

The fact that the latest Army of Two's main characters are named Alpha and Beta might be an unfortunate self-prophesising oversight or a bitter twist of irony.

Their beige, generic monikers are indicative of a game, and a storyline, that exhibits the exact same qualities.

Everything that made the previous two games stand out among the crowd has either been watered down or removed altogether. For a game that should describe the nature of the gameplay in the very title, there is little incentive, or need, to work co-operatively with your partner at all.

Not that it's terribly important, but Alpha and Beta must fight through the minions, henchmen and sub-bosses of a Mexican drug cartel on their way to take down the head boss. Like almost every other third-person shooter, it's a case of rocking up to an area, clearing out every enemy in sight, watching a short rendered sequence and doing it all again.

But despite its overall genericness, it's this action that saves Army of Two: Devil's Cartel from bargain-bin abyss, for a short time at least.

The game makes it simple to get from cover to cover by looking where you want to go and pressing a single button.

The best parts of the game are the scripted action sequences that have you marvelling in the grandiose explosions and carnage.

Aside from that, this sequel is a lesson in how to wreck an otherwise promising series.